New year, new records. Applicants to our Class of 2015 have, again, topped our charts. Here are the stats:

Total applications increased by 10% — our most ever.

Applications came from 32 states— the most being Ohio, California, and New York, in that order.

About 20% of applicants were from Ohio.

Applications came from 48 countries— after the U.S., the most being India, Canada, and the UK.

A little over 50% of applicants had at least one minority or female co-founder.

Roughly two-thirds of our finalists visited Cincinnati over the last few weeks— many of them flew in just for their 30 minute interview. That is dedication!

When choosing companies, we look for 1) a great idea with a sizable market, 2) a great team with varied skill sets, and 3) how well the startups’ needs fit into our capabilities. We saw dozens and dozens (maybe even hundreds) of startups who fulfilled the first two requirements, but just weren’t a good fit for us. It’s not fair to either of us to take equity in a business we can’t help.

That being said, our sixth class of startups begins on June 16. We couldn’t be more excited to finish up the selection process and welcome the founders. If you applied, look for a decision email by the end of the week. Thank you to all applicants— this pool was the highest in quality and number we’ve ever seen. We remain dedicated to finding a resource for entrepreneurs in Cincinnati that fits— either way, we hope to see you at a Brandery event soon!

As for the new class, our plan is to share some information about the founders in June. You’ll hear more about the startups in July, but trust us, this class has serious promise. Looking forward to sharing more soon.